FIELD TRIP RECORDS

Wacissa River: 1 September 1998; Conditions warm, overcast

Esox americanus (redfin pickerel)

Notropis harperi (redeye chub)

Notropis sp. (a different chub)

Moxostoma sp.? (sucker)

Aphredodorus sayanus (pirate perch)

Lucania goodei (bluefin killifish)

Fundulus seminolis (seminole killifish)

Gambusia holbrooki (mosquitofish)

Poecilia latipinna (sailfin molly)

Heterandria formosa (least killifish)

Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill sunfish)

Lepomis sp. (another sunfish)

Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass)

Elassoma sp. (probably evergladei) (pygmy sunfish)

Notophthalmus viridescens (red-spotted newt)

Sternotherus minor (loggerhead musk turtle)

Notes. I think I called the turtle a mud turtle when we were at the river; this was incorrect. Mud turtles have larger plastrons with hinged shells; musk turtles (including stinkpots) have the small unhinged pastrons, which makes them good climbers. Musk turtles also have the larger heads. My brain misfires on some of these identifications.

Murphy Gratiosa Pond: 8 September 1998; Conditions warm, lightly overcast

Bufo terrestris (Southern toads; eggs)

Acris gryllus (cricket frogs; adults and larvae)

Hyla gratiosa (barking treefrog; larvae)

Hyla femoralis (pinewoods treefrog; larvae)

Rana utricularia (leopard frog; adults)

Aescnid dragonfly adults and naiads (probably Anax sp.)

Libellulid dragonfly adults and naiads

Notonectid adults (backswimmers)

Naucorid adults and immatures (waterbugs)

Ranatra sp. (Nepidae; water scorpions; water walking-sticks)

Corixid adults (water boatmen)

Dytiscid beetles (adults and larvae)

Gyrinid beetles (adults)

Dolomedes (fishing spiders)

Notes. This was the temporary pond, our first stop on this day.

Murphy Cinerea (Owl) Pond: 8 September 1998; Conditions warm, lightly overcast

Cyprinid (as yet unidentified chub)

Leptolucania ommata (pygmy killifish)

Fundulus lineolatus (lined killifish)

Gambusia holbrooki (mosquitofish)

Lepomis sp. (probably macrochirus)

Centrarchus macropterus (flier)

Elassoma sp. (probably okefenokee)

Acris gryllus (cricket frog adults)

Aescnid dragonfly adults and naiads (probably Anax)

Naucorid adults and immatures (waterbugs)

Amphipods

Notes. This was the grassy, permanent pond we visited as the second stop this day. There was a stand of waterlily (Nymphaea odorata) in the center of this pond.

Murphy Cypress Swamp: 8 September 1998; Conditions warm, lightly overcast

Leptolucania ommata (pygmy killifish)

Fundulus lineolatus (lined killifish)

Fundulus chrysotus (golden topminnow)

Gambusia holbrooki (mosquitofish)

Lepomis sp. (sunfish)

Elassoma sp. (probably okefenokee)

Etheostoma fusiforme (swamp darter)

Acris gryllus (cricket frog adults)

Notes. This was the last place we visited on this day.

Fisher Creek: 10 September 1998; Conditions warm, overcast

Ameiurus sp. (small bullhead catfish)

Leptolucania ommata (pygmy killifish)

Fundulus lineolatus (lined killifish)

Centrarchus macropterus (flier)

Lepomis sp. (small sunfish)

Etheostoma fusiforme (swamp darter)

Sceloporus undulatus (eastern fence lizard)

Ranatra sp. (water scorpions)

Naucorid adults and immatures (water bugs)

Notonecta sp. (backswimmers; family Notonectidae)

Corixid adults (water boatmen)

Dytiscid adults and larvae (diving beetles)

Grass Pond: 10 September 1998; Conditions warm, overcast

Fundulus lineolatus (lined killifish)

Fundulus cingulatus (banded killifish)?

Gambusia holbrooki (mosquitofish)

Heterandria formosa (least killifish)

Micropterus salmoides (bass)

Acris gryllus adults and tadpoles (cricket frogs)

Damselfly naiads

Ranatra sp. (water scorpion)

Naucorid adults and immatures (water bugs)

Tetragnatha sp. (aquatic spiders)

Newport Sulfur Spring: 15 September 1998; Conditions warm, sunny

Aphredodorus sayanus (pirate perch)

Lucania goodei (bluefin killifish)

Gambusia holbrooki (mosquitofish)

Heterandria formosa (least killifish)

Elassoma zonatum (pygmy sunfish)

Dormitator maculatus (Fat sleeper)

Notes. The sleeper is normally considered a marine fish (family Eleotridae) but is described as being common in the upper reaches of estuaries and salt marshes (the lower salinity portions). This species is recorded as large as 25 cm in length, although I think the largest one we saw here was only half that size. It's not clear to me if this represents a breeding population or a collection of younger, nonreproductive fish who are using this spring as a place to pass time.

Tram Road Pond, St. Marks: 15 September 1998; Conditions warm, sunny

Leptolucania ommata (pygmy killifish)

Fundulus escambiae (starhead killifish)

Gambusia holbrooki (mosquitofish)

Heterandria formosa (least killifish)

Centrarchus macropterus (flier)

Lepomis punctatus (spotted sunfish)

Elassoma sp. (pygmy sunfish) - someone remind me which one it was

Notophthalmus perstriatus (striped newt)

Rana sp. tadpole (probably a bullfrog or pig frog; we'll see)

Salt Marsh, St. Marks: 15 September 1998; Conditions warm, cloudy

Adinia xenica (diamond killifish)

Cyprinodon variegatus (sheepshead minnow)

Lucania parva (rainwater killifish)

Fundulus grandis (Gulf killifish)

Poecilia latipinna (sailfin molly)

Menidia beryllina (tidewater silverside)

Notes. This assemblage is the classic "brackish" water group for a salt marsh. At higher salinities, Lucania and Adinia tend to drop out. At lower salinities in our area, this group is supplemented by Jordanella floridae (the Florida flagfish), which we saw when Becky dipnetted one from the area near the "compromised bridge". Gambusia holbrooki often have populations in the lower salinity marsh areas also.

Lake Cessna: 24 September 1998; Conditions warm, partly cloudy

Leptolucania ommata (pygmy killifish)

Fundulus chrysotus (golden topminnow)

Gambusia holbrooki (mosquitofish)

Heterandria formosa (least killifish)

Centrarchus macropterus (flier)

Elassoma sp. (pygmy sunfish)

Etheostoma fusiforme (swamp darter)

Anolis carolinensis (Carolina anole)

Notes. This is the cypress lake that we enter from the tiny dirt road just off of Springhill Road.

McBride's Slough: 24 September 1998; Conditions warm, partly cloudy

Esox americanus (redfin pickerel)

Pteronotropis hypselopterus (sailfin shiner)

Notropis cummingsae (dusky shiner)

Notropis harperi (redeye chub)

Aphredodorus sayanus (pirate perch)

Lucania goodei (bluefin killifish)

Heterandria formosa (least killifish)

Lepomis punctatus (spotted sunfish)

Micropterus salmoides (bass)

Elassoma okefenokee (pygmy sunfish)

Turtle (which Becky thinks was a stinkpot, Sternotherus odoratus)